Baby Beth
by FifiDoll
Summary: Contains three chapters: The first contains lost scenes from Journey to Regionals. The second is Beth's first birthday, followed by part three, which contains Beth's sixteenth birthday. Family, angst, fluff - EVERYTHING.
1. Lost Moments from Journey to Regionals

**Lost Moments from Journey to Regionals**

"We didn't even place," Artie said sadly.

Rachel fought at the tears in her eyes, willing them not to fall at least until she was offstage. The last thing she needed was to cry in front of Vocal Adrenaline _again_. Nobody in New Directions spoke as they filed off stage, the flimsy trophy dangling haphazardly from Mr. Schuester's hand. They walked all the way back to their dressing room in silence. "Rachel," a familiar voice called down the hallway.

The brunette spun around, her flattening curls twirling around her shoulders as she did so. Shelby walked down the hallway slowly, looking down at her daughter sadly. Rachel held back the tears as Vocal Adrenaline passed in the background. When they were gone, the dam broke and Rachel's tears spilled down her cheeks. Shelby pulled Rachel into a hug without a word.

It was strange, hugging Rachel in such a motherly way. She wondered if it would have been different if she'd raised Rachel, if she'd been used to tiny hugs before they grew into the one she was currently receiving. It had to be magical; according to books and magazines, everything about being a parent was amazing. Trying at times, but rewarding all the same.

Shelby let her cry for a few minutes before saying, "Rachel, I need to talk to you about something."

Rachel looked up, wiping tears from her face as she did so. Her expression brightened slightly when she asked hopefully, "You're going to come teach at McKinley after all?"

"No," Shelby shook her head, frowning. "It's about Quinn. Is she…is she keeping the baby?"

"I don't know," Rachel shook her head. She sniffled and said, "Puck might know, though." Shelby looked confused and Rachel clarified, "He's the father."

With a nod, Shelby patted Rachel's shoulder and said, "You were really great out there today. I was so proud of you."

"Thank you," Rachel gave a small smile.

Silence swam around them once more before they were pulled from it by a male voice.

"Rachel, we're getting on the bus to go back."

Standing behind Rachel was a tall boy with short, shaved off brown hair. His skin was tan and he looked ragged and worn out. "Bye, Shelby," Rachel said softly, rushing off to join him.

"Are you Puck?" Shelby asked as Rachel rushed away.

The boy turned to face her fully, looking at the woman curiously. "Yeah. Why?" he said, walking towards her slowly.

"I need to talk to you."

He looked confused. "About what?"

"It's about Quinn and the baby…" Shelby trailed off.

"I don't need any help," Puck shot defensively. "She's not keeping it."

She didn't say anything for a moment. It was obviously a sensitive subject for him; she'd have to tread lightly. "I might have an idea," she said softly. "So you can still see her, even though Quinn is giving her up."

Puck looked up at the woman hopefully. "Let me adopt her."

He didn't speak right away. She watched him fearfully; she wasn't ready to face rejection. "I'd have to ask Quinn," he said finally. "I don't think she has anyone lined up to take her, but she hasn't exactly let me have anything to do with the baby."

"Thank you," Shelby gave him a grateful smile.

He nodded, and an awkward silence filled the hallway. "You should get going," Shelby said. "Maybe I'll stop by the hospital later today?"

"Yeah," Puck nodded. "See ya."

The gold of his tie flashed as he turned around and left. Shelby turned to gather her students and get them back to school; the sooner she did that, the sooner she could get to the hospital.

"What are you doing here?" Quinn asked.

She was surprised by the presence of Shelby outside the nursery; had she come to gloat? Had their victory meant that much she had to make sure to rub it in _everyone's_ faces? "Just hear her out," Puck whispered softly to Quinn.

The woman spotted their baby almost immediately. It was hard not to; she looked just like her mother. Quinn watched as Shelby admired the baby from afar. "You know, I never got to hold Rachel," Shelby explained out of nowhere. "I barely even got to see her. It was so hard for me."

"Why are you telling me this?" Quinn asked.

Tears pricked at her eyes – she didn't need yet another person telling her to keep the baby. Puck and her own mother were enough people. Quinn knew what was best for herself and the baby – she _couldn't_ keep her. "I missed out on my chance with Rachel," Shelby continued. "I didn't get to raise her, and now I can't have any more children. I've missed out on so much – all because I tried to be a star." She shook her head and let out a dry laugh. Finally, the woman looked up to meet Quinn's eyes. "I think we can help each other out, Quinn."

The blonde just stared at the woman for a moment. Sure, Quinn had been freaking out about how they were going to find an adoptive family for the baby – after the whole mess with Mr. and Mrs. Schuester, everything had been easy to forget about. Now it wasn't, and it was driving Quinn insane. "You want to adopt her?" she asked with a shaky voice.

Shelby nodded, "I'm done teaching glee club. I need to settle down, have a family. Quinn – I could take care of her. I'd treat her right."

"I know you would," Quinn said softly. "But…what about Rachel?"

"I don't see her often," she shrugged. "I'm sure she'd get used to the idea, though."

Quinn stood in silence, a million thoughts running through her mind. She needed to find an adoptive family for the baby – Shelby was more trustworthy than some stranger, too. Her pleading eyes looked at Puck, begging for guidance. "I think it's a good idea," he told her softly.

Slowly, Quinn nodded, "Okay."

Shelby looked overwhelmed. Her eyes were glassy and she stared through the glass adoringly at the baby. "Does she have a name?" she asked.

Quinn watched at how something as simple as saying 'okay' could make others so happy. Happiness wasn't something she often saw on other's faces – usually she was too busy cutting them down to get on top. "No," Quinn shook her head.

"Beth," Puck said instantly.

"Pretty," Shelby smiled.

They all looked down at the baby in the nursery. Shelby's heart was brimming with happiness, pounding a million miles an hour in her chest. Finally she was going to have another chance.

Rachel walked into Breadstix hesitantly; she hadn't told her dads she was having dinner with her _mother_ – it might have started some conversations she wasn't emotionally ready for. Spotting Shelby, she walked over and sat in the booth across from her.

It was a rather comfortable silence that lingered as they ate their pasta. They talked about the performances at Regionals, Rachel's ambitions, and Shelby's past. It was nice sitting down and having a nice heart-to-heart with the other. It made up for Rachel's day being absolutely horrible otherwise. Shelby even helped Rachel decide on a song for New Directions to sing to Mr. Schuester as a goodbye piece. But then her heart dropped when Shelby said, "Rachel, I need to tell you something."

Rachel set down her glass of water, settling her hands in her lap. She had no idea what was coming, and she hoped it wasn't anything _too_ bad. "I'm adopting Quinn and Puck's baby," she said softly.

Incredulous eyes stared down the woman across from her. "But…they're my classmates. I dated Puck," Rachel stammered. "You…you can't!"

Sighing, Shelby said calmly, "Rachel, please, just hear me out."

Rachel wanted to storm out; it was her signature move, after all. It didn't seem right though – it would be rude. Shelby watched as Rachel calmed down. "Rachel – I missed out on my chance with you. You know that," she explained. Rachel nodded. "Their baby - little Beth - she's my second chance."

"Couldn't you just date and have your own baby?" Rachel shot.

With a sigh, her mother said, "I can't have any more children."

Rachel bit her tongue. She hadn't known that, and instantly she felt stupid for being so rude. "Sorry," she said softly. "I didn't know."

"It's okay," Shelby reassured her. "I just wanted you to know."

She nodded silently. "I guess it's good, though," Rachel admitted. "Beth needs a good home and you'll be a wonderful mother."

"Thank you Rachel."

Quinn was sick and tired of being in the hospital. She had her baby and felt fine. A little sore, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. Her blonde curls splayed out on the pillow behind her as she surfed through the channels for the thousandth time. The clicking of heels on tile told her that her mother was back. She walked in, a hesitant scared smile still on her face. "How are you feeling, sweetie?" she asked.

"I want to go home," Quinn replied, bored.

"Tomorrow, Quinnie," her mom pushed a stray curl out of her face. "They'll let you leave tomorrow."

Sighing, she rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the TV. "There's nothing good on," she complained, shutting off the TV and tossing the remote to the side.

"Hospitals are never fun," Judy admitted.

They were silent for a minute before her mom asked, "Do you want to keep her?"

Quinn shook her head and said simply, "No."

"Is someone going to adopt her?" Judy asked. "You can't just leave her here."

"I know that," Quinn snapped. "Shelby Corcoran is going to adopt her." When her mother looked confused, she clarified, "The old coach of our competition and Rachel Berry's mother."

Judy nodded and asked softly, "Is Puck okay with that?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does, honey," Judy replied firmly. "He's as much of a parent now as you are, and he deserves a say in this."

"Mom," Quinn argued. "He agreed to the adoption. It's fine."

Her mother paused for a moment before asking, "Are you going to have a closed or open adoption?"

Confused, the blonde looked at her mother. "An adoption is an adoption."

"No it's not," Judy shook her head. "If you get a closed adoption, you won't get to see her. Ever. If you get an open adoption, on the other hand, you can be updated with photos from the family and in some cases even visit."

"Closed."

Judy was a little put out at her daughter's insensitivity. "Is that what Puck wants?" she asked.

"Does it matter?" Quinn snapped.

"You should talk to him about it," her mother advised, standing. "Give the boy a chance, okay?"

Quinn just glared at her mother as she left. Once her mother was gone, she broke into tears. It was all so difficult; she just wanted this mess to be over with so she could return to school and be a _normal_ teenager again.

The next morning Quinn rose early and dressed. She was ready to leave when she was wheeled into a private conference room instead. Puck was sitting there already with his mother. Across the table from him was Shelby and at the head of the table there was a woman in a suit that Quinn didn't recognize. "Mom, what's going on?" Quinn asked.

Her wheelchair was stopped next to Puck and her mother sat on the other side of it. "We need to finalize the adoption and then you can go home," she explained softly.

Quinn bit back a scathing remark; she didn't want to look bad in front of all of the people. The lawyer talked through options and details and how everything would work before turning to Quinn and saying, "Ms. Corcoran is willing to negotiate an open adoption if that is something you're interested in."

Puck turned to watch Quinn, his expression unreadable. He'd been silent throughout the whole thing, his other sitting tight-lipped with a frown next to him. She wanted to shout out that she'd rather have a closed adoption and forget any of it ever happened, but she couldn't. Puck was a good guy and he deserved to see her. He'd done so much to try to prove he could _raise_ her, after all. "Yes, we're interested."

Relief washed over Puck's expression and he mouthed the words 'thank you' to her. She gave him a small smile and they began working out the details. Quinn's mother chimed in from time to time, but Puck's mother remained stolid. It was obvious she wasn't on board with anything they were planning. She went along with it anyway, just grateful that Puck wasn't taking the baby in himself.

Shelby agreed to send them photos every so often, as well as to invite them to birthday parties if they ever wanted to go. She even went so far as to ask if they would like to be first call if she ever needed a babysitter. Puck jumped at the chance and gave Shelby his phone number, but Quinn politely declined.

After far too much talking in Quinn's opinion, papers were slid across the table towards her. All she had to do was sign her name and she would be done. Beth would be out of her hands and she could go back to being normal. Her hand shook as she signed wherever the lawyer told her to. Puck frowned and looked upset as he signed his name on the papers. Quinn watched sadly as she realized how much her decision was hurting him. He'd thank her eventually, she figured.

The papers were slid across the table to Shelby where she also signed. Finally Quinn was being wheeled out of the room and towards the parking lot. Her mother's car waited for them, ready to bring Quinn back to normality where she belonged.


	2. Birthday Baby

New Directions had advanced to nationals, but that was the last thing on Puck's mind. He sat towards the back of the bus, alone, staring out the window as everyone around him celebrated. Quinn watched him closely, almost positive she knew what he was thinking about.

Trees passed by the windows as Puck tried to calm his nerves. He hadn't seen Beth since she was born, at least in person. Ms. Corcoran had sent him photos of Beth from time to time, but this was different. He was going to her birthday party – he couldn't believe it had been a year already – and would be seeing her in person for the first time. The thought made him unbelievably nervous; what if she didn't like him? What if he was horrible with kids? He didn't want to embarrass himself in front of Ms. Corcoran or anyone else at the party.

When the bus arrived back at McKinley, he got off the bus slowly, still consumed by his own thoughts. He was startled out of them by a slender hand grasping his. Puck spun around to look into the face of Quinn Fabray. She looked nervous. "Are you going to her birthday party?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied gruffly.

He didn't bother asking if she was; given the way she'd acted with the whole adoption process, there was no way Quinn was planning on going even though she'd been invited. Or so he thought. Weakly, she asked, "Can I come with you?"

Puck looked over at the blonde, surprised. "You actually want to go?" he asked.

"I…" she took a shaky breath. "Yeah. I do. I just didn't want to go alone."

He nodded slowly and said, "Yeah, you can come with me. I'm leaving tomorrow at noon."

"Should I meet you at your place?" Quinn asked hesitantly.

"I'll pick you up."

Quinn and Puck just looked at each other for a moment, nervous and awkward and a million other things. She heard Finn shout her name from the other end of the parking lot. "I'll uh…I'll see you later, then," she glanced at him hopefully.

Puck just nodded before getting into his truck. He drove home quickly, rushing up the stairs to his room before his mother could even ask him how they placed. Puck reached under his bed and pulled out a little box. It wasn't much, but it was all he could afford He set it out on his bed and analyzed it with scrutiny. He'd been stupid for buying her a gift; he had _no idea_ what a one year old girl needed. Puck glared down at the box and tried to ignore how ridiculous it all seemed. When the door to his room opened, he jumped and tossed the box to the side. Not in time, though, because his mother asked, "Noah, what's that?"

He could feel his face burning with embarrassment. "Nothing…" he trailed off.

She spotted the pastel colors on the box and knew immediately. "It's for Beth, isn't it?" she asked.

Puck looked up at his mother, surprised. She'd never acknowledged Beth's existence except when she was pointing out how irresponsible he was. Except now – now she was being…sympathetic. "Yeah," his voice cracked. He avoided her eyes and said, "Ms. Corcoran invited me to her birthday party tomorrow."

Mrs. Puckerman walked into the room and picked up the doll off the floor. She turned it over in her hands and sat next to him on the bed. "That's really good of you to do, Noah," she said softly, watery eyes watching him. "It will make her happy."

"She won't know who I am," he shot.

His mother sighed and said, "Just because she doesn't realize who you are, doesn't mean she won't appreciate seeing you, or getting a gift from you."

"She's never going to know who I am because Quinn gave her up," Puck replied angrily. "I'm always just going to be Noah to her. Not dad."

Her hand reached over to gently rest on his arm. "Noah, honey, I know you're upset about this," she said softly. "You always have been. But you also know deep down that this is what's best for her. You love her, and you want her to have the best life she can."

"It's all garbage, mom," Puck sighed. "I hate that she's not with me. I hate that I don't get to see her all the time. I hate that she's never going to call me dad."

Mrs. Puckerman sighed and said, "She might, one day. Let's go wrap this up and I'll explain a little idea I have."

Puck eyed his mother warily but followed her without objection. They went down the hall to wrap the gift, his mother's idea soon stealing all of his attention.

He slept fitfully the whole night, the anxiety he felt about meeting his daughter keeping him from falling asleep. Puck wished he could just drink up and pass out, but meeting her with a hangover wasn't exactly the best impression, even if she was only a year old. Finally at seven that morning he gave up on trying to sleep and went downstairs. He flipped on the television and watched some cartoons without really paying attention.

A few hours later his mother offered him breakfast – his favorite, waffles – but he didn't feel like eating. His stomach was in knots and he kept counting down the minutes until he could leave and pick up Quinn. Puck took a shower and got ready, dressing in his best jeans and a plaid button down shirt. He tidied up his mohawk and wore his cleanest pair of shoes. As he was walking out the door, his mother stopped him. He'd been so nervous he almost forgot Beth's gift. With a sympathetic smile, Mrs. Puckerman handed him the gift and hugged him. "It'll be fine," she told him.

Words failed him, so he just nodded in response. He walked out the door and tried not to speed the whole way over to Quinn's. They'd look stupid if they showed up early. It was okay, though, because Quinn had been so nervous she'd forgotten to get ready. Puck ended up waiting in the sitting room for ten minutes before the blonde came downstairs wearing a simple white sundress and blue cardigan. Her hands were shaking and it took a strong hug from her mother before she even had the courage to walk out the front door.

The whole drive to Ms. Corcoran's house, Quinn turned the gift over in her hands. "I can't believe I forgot to get her something," she said sadly.

"You can um…we can say it's from both of us," Puck replied.

Softly, Quinn said, "I can't…"

Puck didn't press the matter any, and both of them sat in silence the rest of the drive. It was hard to believe that they were about to meet their daughter. It had been a whole year – a year where they forgot about Beth more often than they wanted to. They almost felt guilty, just walking into her life a year later. Slowly they approached the front door, Puck reaching out to ring the doorbell while Quinn clung to Beth's gift for dear life. Ms. Corcoran opened the door with a warm smile. "Hey you two," she said happily. "Come in."

They stepped just inside the door and looked around. The living room was littered with 'happy birthday' decorations and pastel colored toys in every corner. "Beth's in the kitchen with my mom," Shelby explained. "Come and say hello."

Puck and Quinn exchanged nervous glances before following Shelby through the house. Once they caught sight of the little blonde girl, they both froze. Quinn's hand found Puck's and squeezed it tight. "This isn't right," she whispered, terrified. "I should go."

"Hi Beth," Shelby cooed, leaning over the girl on an older woman's lap. "More people are here."

Big hazel eyes looked over in the doorway to see Quinn and Puck. If she sensed nervousness, she didn't show it. Instead she just giggled and made a buzzing noise with her mouth. Shelby turned to them proudly and said, "That's usually how she says hello. She doesn't really talk yet."

"Cute," Quinn said with a forced smile.

"Come in, you guys," Shelby motioned to the table where there was a pile of gifts started. "I'm sure mom could give up Beth for a few minutes so you guys can hold her."

They must have looked absolutely terrified if the sympathetic looks they were getting from Shelby and her mother were anything to go by. The two teens sat on the bench in the bay window and watched as Beth's eyes never left them. "Let's go talk to Quinn and Noah, huh?" the grandmother asked, turning around in the chair.

Beth's blonde curls were pinned back with a pink bow clip and her white sundress looked almost identical to the one Quinn was wearing. The elderly woman held Beth out to the two of them, but only Puck was brave enough to reach out to hold her.

Beth stared up at him innocently, her eyes a perfect mirror of his own. She was beautiful and his heart ached. He couldn't believe he'd given her up so easily. She smiled at him and made a gargling sound. He relaxed a little bit as he set her on his knee facing Quinn. "She looks just like you, Quinn," Shelby said, moving the cake from the counter to the center of the table. "Just like the day she was born."

Quinn just nodded, her eyes never leaving the baby girl. Beth smiled and held her toy out to Quinn. With shaking hands, Quinn reached out to take it. She smiled nervously and Beth responded with a grin. She clapped her hands, looking between her biological parents proudly. Puck couldn't stop the smile breaking out onto his face as well. She was absolutely adorable. He'd known from the photos, but holding her and seeing her in real life was so much different.

Many of the guests arrived after that and the party was underway. Puck and Quinn stood towards the back most of the time, watching as Shelby's family interacted so well with each other and Beth. The girl was obviously familiar with them all. They ate cake, opened presents, and watched in amusement as Beth fell asleep in the middle of playing with her new toys. She flopped backwards, legs and arms spread making a giant 'X' with her body, a toy in each hand. It was adorable. Everyone took photos, including Puck and Quinn.

"I'm going to put her down for a nap," Shelby said after a few moments of picture taking.

She brought the girl down the hall to her room and when she emerged, Puck and Quinn were perched by the door. "Thank you guys for coming," she said, her smile genuine.

"I'm glad you let us," Quinn said softly.

Ms. Corcoran gave them a sympathetic smile and said, "Have a safe drive back, you two."

Puck nodded and thanked her for inviting them before they walked to his truck in silence. They climbed in and were driving away when Puck said, "So…my mom had an idea for something we could do for Beth. Well, she said I could do it, but you can help if you want…"

"What is it?" Quinn asked, watching Puck curiously.

He explained it to her slowly, trying to remember everything his mother had told him. Quinn's expression was hard and calculating; she was trying to decide what to do. It wasn't until they pulled up outside of Quinn's house that she turned to him and said, "I'm in."


	3. Sweet Sixteen

"Mom! I'm home!" the blonde girl called, walking into her house after school.

It was the same house she'd spent her entire life in; just her and her mother, like a real life Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. She looked around corners, through doorways, trying to find her mom. Before Beth left for school her mom said she'd be ready after school to go out to dinner. It was her sixteenth birthday. She'd be taking her driver's license test in two days and couldn't feel more grown up.

Peeking into the dining room, her hazel eyes fell on a pink envelope on the table. It looked worn; the corners were faded and crushed. Confused, she picked it up and read the sticky note attached to it.

**I'm out shopping but I'll be back soon.  
>Watch this while you're waiting…<br>I'll see you soon baby!  
>Love, Mom<strong>

Brow furrowed, Beth opened the envelope to find a DVD with nothing but her name on it. Walking up to her room she pulled out her laptop. As it booted up, she looked at the envelope curiously. There were no clues as to what it was or who made it anywhere. It drove her crazy. She slid the disk into the drive and waited for her computer to load.

Her mother was the first person on the screen. She looked younger and her clothes were out of style. Her hair was much longer and curly; she looked very pretty even then. "Hi baby," she said to the camera. "Happy sixteenth birthday! I know by now you've figured out you're adopted. Maybe I told you. Maybe you figured it out on your own." She let out a light laugh and said, "I don't know how this is all going to play out yet."

Beth nodded to nobody; she found out a few years ago that she was adopted. Her mother had been giving her "the talk" (which wasn't so bad considering how close they already were – they'd giggled about far more awkward things) and explained that sometimes women can't have kids anymore. It sort of just came out and she had handled it rather well. Beth had been suspicious for years – not knowing anything about her dad, not knowing why she was blonde when her mother was brunette – it all kind of made sense.

"Well," her mother's voice continued from the laptop. "For your birthday I think it's time you found out who your birth parents are."

Beth's voice hitched in her throat. Sure, she'd dreamt of maybe meeting them one day or at least finding out who they were, but never had she thought her mother would do something like this for her. "I'll let your dad talk first – this video was his idea," her mom smiled and stepped out of the way as a boy stepped into frame.

He looked young. Very young. His skin was tanned and he was very muscular. Beth sniggered at his horribly old-school mohawk. He sat down in front of the camera nervously. When he looked up, her face went flat. His eyes…they were just like hers. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared into the eyes of her father. "Hey Beth," he said nervously. "I uh…I feel kind of dumb making this since you only turned one a week ago but…I want you to know who I am one day. Well, now, I guess, since you're watching this."

He winced – he was rambling. "Uh…" he began again, his voice still shaking with nerves. "My name is Noah Puckerman. Right now I'm seventeen, but I guess now when you're watching it I'm thirty-two. Shit…" he trailed off, then froze. "Sorry. Um…forget I said that last word there." Beth giggled. "I want you to know that I love you. Giving you up was the hardest thing I've ever done, but it was what was right. Your mom is an awesome person and I know she's gonna raise you right."

Noah paused for a moment, staring at his hands. Beth noticed that they were shaking. He looked up at the camera and said, "And don't you dare think for a minute that you were a mistake. I loved your mom. She's right here."

He looked off behind the camera and beckoned to someone. Slowly a blonde girl walked into frame and sat next to him apprehensively. She took a deep breath and looked up at the camera. "Hi Beth," she said with a small smile.

Beth froze, staring at the girl on screen. She looked _just like her_. Her jaw was dropped in shock. They were both very good looking and Beth found herself overwhelmed with emotions. "I'm Quinn Fabray…I'm your mother," she said softly, tears already welling in her eyes. "I uh…" she swallowed, trying to compose herself. "When I was sixteen I had you. The glee club I was in had just performed at regionals and Noah had just chosen your name. Those few minutes when I got to hold you," she wiped a stray tear from her eye, "Those were the best moments of my life. I love you, Beth. I love you so, so much and that's why I gave you up. I couldn't raise a child – my own family was falling apart and I was scared. I won't blame you if you never forgive us for giving you up, but we did it for you…"

Quinn wiped at more tears and stopped speaking. Beth was speechless. She just kept gazing at the computer, her curiosity growing with each word. "We love you, baby girl, wherever you are," Noah picked up, looking at the camera seriously. "I don't know when we'll see you again or if we ever will, but your mom knows how to find us. If you want to meet us, just say the word."

The blonde nodded at his side, the blonde curls so similar to Beth's falling across her shoulders. "We're…we're going to leave today, your sixteenth birthday, completely free. If you want to see us, we'll meet you wherever you are, for your birthday. Or anytime," Quinn smiled, teary eyes connecting with Beth's. "I'd really like to see you again someday, Beth."

"Me too," Noah chimed in instantly.

Beth's heart beat in her chest a million miles a minute. "So uh…I guess that's all. We love you, and we hope you have a good birthday, whether you call us or not," Noah said awkwardly.

"Happy birthday, Beth," Quinn finished softly.

The video cut to black and the DVD player signaled the end of the disk. Beth just sat in her desk chair, staring at the computer with a blank stare. It was all so overwhelming. Her parents wanted to meet her. They cared about her. _They missed her_.

Beth didn't move until her mom poked her head in. "You found it, huh?" Shelby asked.

Nodding, Beth said softly, "I want to meet them."

With a small smile, her mother nodded and beckoned Beth to follow her downstairs. Shelby rifled through a desk drawer until she found what she was looking for. She had an envelope containing two phone numbers. "Here," she held it out to Beth.

Big eyes looked up at her mother incredulously. Nervously, Beth took the piece of paper and pulled out her cell phone. An hour later, she and her mother were pulling up outside a restaurant called Breadstix in Lima, Ohio. Her stomach was full of butterflies as she followed her mom inside.

They stood awkwardly just inside the doors as Shelby looked around, spotting them almost instantly. Beth followed nervously behind until they reached a table where _they_ sat: her parents.

Nobody said anything for a moment; they all just looked between each other. Quinn looked as beautiful as she had in the video, just a little bit older. Her hair was short and wavy, falling just above her shoulders. Tears filled her eyes but she had a smile on her face; the same smile Beth saw in the mirror every day. She wore a business suit and looked like she'd come straight from a fancy office.

Noah looked the most different, though. His mohawk was gone, replaced with a buzz cut. He looked tanner, stronger, but older. He wore flannel and jeans; she guessed he worked on cars.

Both of them, now adults, stared up at their daughter. She stood awkwardly at the end of the table, too caught up in looking at them to sit down by her mother. Just as they expected, she was beautiful. Her blonde hair fell in curls on her shoulders and her eyes, Noah's eyes, glistened with emotion. She was thin and slender like her mother, and when she smiled, she glowed. Her smile was nervous with a hint of self-consciousness probably due to her braces, but she was perfect anyway.

Coming to her senses, she sat down by her mom and said breathlessly, "Hi."

"Hi," Quinn smiled.

"Hey," Noah said nervously.

"Thank you for calling us," Quinn told her quietly. "It really means a lot to us."

"You're welcome," Beth said politely.

"So you watched the video?" Noah asked hopefully.

Beth nodded and Shelby watched the conversation with a smile. Beth had taken everything so well; she was really growing into a wonderful young woman. "Yeah, I did," Beth nodded. With a laugh, she asked, "Did you really have a mohawk when you were in high school?"

"Yeah, he thought it made him cool," Quinn said playfully.

Beth laughed and Puck couldn't help but laugh as well. "I liked my mohawk," he argued. "Don't the boys have their hair like that nowadays?"

"No," she laughed.

It took a few nervous quips, but soon everyone was partaking in conversation. Beth asked a million questions about her parents. Noah worked at Hummel Tires & Lube a few blocks away with his best friend from high school, Finn. He was married to his high school sweetheart Lauren, but they didn't have any kids. Quinn was a real estate agent in Lima, married to Finn, and they only had one child, a little baby boy named Bradley. He was one and half years old.

They asked Beth about school and what she liked to do for fun. She liked to sing and play the guitar, but her favorite thing was being on the dance team. "Do you ever perform around here?" Quinn asked.

"Yeah," Beth nodded. "Mrs. Abrams is having us perform at the McKinley invitational, actually. It's next Saturday. You guys should come."

"I'd love to," Quinn smiled.

"What's your coach's first name?" Noah asked curiously.

Quinn elbowed him, but Beth still answered, "Brittany."

Puck sent Quinn an 'I told you so' look, and Beth asked, "What?"

"They were in glee club with us," Quinn explained. "Brittany and her husband Artie. He's in a wheelchair, right?"

"Most of the time," Beth told them. "He's learning to walk now, which is really cool. He's my history teacher and he's super cool. Mr. Abrams has this vest that has a map of the world on it. He's a total nerd but it's awesome because sometimes he'll sing to us."

Dinner passed quickly and soon Beth found herself leaving Breadstix, trailing behind her mother, Quinn, and Noah. "Thank you for calling us," Noah said.

"Yes, thank you," Quinn smiled.

"You're welcome," Beth nodded. "I'm glad I got to meet you guys."

They stood awkwardly for a moment before Shelby spoke up, "Well, we'd better get back home," she wrapped an arm around Beth and said, "Someone still has school tomorrow."

Beth looked embarrassed. "We'll see you at your dance performance, okay?" Quinn told her.

Beth smiled and said, "Okay."

Quinn and Noah waved as Beth followed her mother to their car. They drove away slowly, Beth staring out the window at them until they were out of sight. "Oh my god," Quinn sighed with a shaky breath.

"Yeah," Noah nodded at her side.

They stood there incredulously for a moment. They got to meet her. Their Beth. "I'm glad your mom thought of that video idea," Quinn admitted.

"Me too," Noah replied.

They looked at each other and Quinn smiled. "It was good to see you again, Noah," she said.

"You too," he nodded.

He hugged her lightly, the casual sort of embrace old friends used all the time. They went their separate ways, both in disbelief at the fact that _Beth had actually called_. They hadn't forgotten for a minute that they promised to leave her sixteenth birthday open. It was the fact that she had called, genuinely wanting to meet them, that had them so shocked.

Their baby girl was beautiful and finally, _finally_ they got to see her again.


End file.
